Keep Your Valuables Safe: 15 Tips to Burglar-proof Your Home

While statistics show that burglary rates have decreased in Australia, that doesn’t mean homeowners should lax on their security measures. The country still has one of the highest break-in rates in the world with over 200,000 homes burgled annually. Considering that 1 in 40 homes are targeted by burglars, it’s crucial that your home security is up to par with today’s standards.

The question is, how do you keep your valuables safe from the hands of burglars and thieves? Here, we’ve compiled 15 of the best burglar-proofing tips that will fortify your home security and help deter burglars from forcing their entry.

1. Avoid stashing large amounts of money inside your property. Instead, deposit your cash into a savings account and let the bank keep it safe for you. Only keep a reasonable amount of money with you to minimise financial loss as much as possible.

2. Invest in a high-quality safe. This is where you keep your jewelry, money, and other valuables like your ID’s, birth certificate, and passport. Hide the safe in a place that’s only accessible to you.

3. Mark your belongings with a UV pen or engrave them for easy identification. Most items that are intercepted by police are sold at auctions because they can’t find the owner. Take pictures of your marked goods so you can show them to the police as proof of ownership (if the items ever get stolen).

4. Get a guard dog like a Rottweiler or a Doberman. Aptly named, guard dogs are trusty companions that can look after your property and bark aggressively at trespassers. Hang a ‘beware of dog’ sign outside your home and burglars will think twice about forcing their entry.

5. Always close your doors and windows. The last thing you want is for a burglar to waltz inside your back door that’s been left open. Make it a habit to secure all entry/exit points before you leave the house.

6. Do not leave workshop tools like hammers and spades lying around. These items can be picked up by burglars and use them to break into windows.

7. Do not leave a parcel outside unattended. If you have an incoming package and you’re not home to pick it up, you can ask the postman to drop it at the post office for pickup. You can also have the parcel delivered to a trusty neighbour’s doorstep and pick it up as soon as you get home. A package that’s sitting outside creates an impression that no one is around, thus encouraging burglars to break inside your property.

8. Install adequate lighting in your home. Make sure all four corners are well lit, especially in the back entrance. Sensor lights outside are useful since they activate as soon as the sun goes down. As for the interior lighting, you can use smart LED light bulbs that can be programmed to turn on/off which is great if you usually get home at night.

9. Install an alarm system or a security system. While they may seem costly, you can recoup the money over the long term by preventing break-ins and keeping your valuables safe. A security system is a worthy investment, one that will prove valuable over the long-term by safeguarding your property 24/7.

10. Do not leave your ladder outside. Burglars will use a ladder to climb up to your home’s second level where they can force their entry. Worse yet, they’ll use it to break open doors and windows.

11. Install high quality, tamper-proof locks on your doors and windows. Consider replacing your locks immediately if you notice they’re quite flimsy and damaged. We recommend using traditional locks over smart electronic locks as the latter can easily be hardwired by tech-savvy burglars.

12. If you have a trusty neighbour, ask them to keep an eye on your property while you’re away. You can leave your contact details to your neighbour and have them update you on your home if they notice something suspicious.

13. Mow your lawn before you leave for the holidays. A freshly cut lawn indicates that someone has done so recently, thus creating an impression that your property is occupied.

14. Don’t announce your holiday plans on social media or mention them in a conversation. Burglars and thieves are all over social media and stalking their potential target before making a move. Reserve the pictures after you get home so that no one will know you’re out on vacation.

15. Install security cameras. Security cameras not only act as a burglar deterrent, but they also help greatly with identifying intruders. You can also benefit from lower insurance premiums when you add security cameras to your property.

These burglar-proofing tips will go a long way towards keeping your property safe from burglars. Take the time to enhance your home security and you’ll be at less risk of being targeted by criminals.